There's no doubt why Arsenal have become many people's favorites to claim the Premier League during this term.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion at this juncture of the season since 1992 that none of Manchester City and United, Liverpool or Chelsea are in the Premier League top four.
The pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
